Poestenkill - Iona Wells Lincoln, 94, formerly of Columbia Hill Road passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at Van Rensselaer Manor in Troy, NY with her eldest son, Kim Richard Lincoln, by her side. Born in Conway, MA on April 3, 1923, Iona was the daughter of Russell Milton and Mildred Iona (Peabody) Wells. The family lived in Conway, where she graduated Conway School first in her class. She married Richard Harding Lincoln in 1942 and the couple moved to Washington, DC then to Denver, CO. later returning to live and raise their two sons in Conway, MA. After her husband's passing, Iona moved to South Deerfield, MA where she stayed for several years before moving to Poestenkill, NY to be closer to her family. Iona had a passion for textiles and was able to share that love through her years of teaching sewing, dressmaking and tailoring in the Dept. of Education at the University of MA. She also designed and made a complete set of uniforms for the university marching band. For a few years she designed and made clothing for specialty boutiques in Cape Cod, MA. Later in life, she began her 25-long-year career as Textile Curator for Historic Deerfield, retiring in 1999. It was there she found her greatest calling and enjoyed a special community of lifelong friends. In addition to her responsibilities to maintain and care for all of the many museum's textile exhibits including antique upholstered furniture, clothing, quilts, bed linens and window dressings, she was in charge of textile research including how fabrics were constructed and used, special textile exhibits and supervised masters students for internship from the University Of Massachusetts, although she, herself, did not have a degree. In 2015, Historic Deerfield printed a magazine to commemorate The 50th Anniversary of the Helen Geier Flynt Textile Gallery. The last few lines on the dedication page sums up her life at Deerfield ... "Other defining characteristics about Iona are her loyalty to friends, her fondness of children and her wicked sense of humor. With all that Iona Lincoln is and has meant to Historic Deerfield professionally and personally over many years, it is fitting that dedication deserves a dedication in return, and so, Iona, this issue of Historic Deerfield is dedicated to you. -- Philip Zea, President."Iona had many other interests, too, including reading, shopping, cooking, travelling and shoes! Her shoe collection would have rivaled Imelda Marcos, having 100-plus pairs displayed proudly in her oversized closet. If given the chance Iona would have traveled the world, England being his favorite place. Sometimes she shared her travel adventures with her granddaughter, Jessica Lincoln Thomas.Iona is survived by her son, Kim R. (Christine) Lincoln, two grandchildren, Russell W. (Tricia) Lincoln, Jessica L. (Robert) Thomas and five great-grandchildren, Gina and Triston Lincoln, Alexander, Nicholas and Kristen Thomas.She is predeceased by her husband, Richard H. Lincoln (1975) and a son, Mark J. Lincoln (1997).Relatives and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial 9:30 am on Monday, January 29 at St. Joseph’s Church Third St. Troy, NY. In the spring, a graveside service will be held at Howland Cemetery in Conway, MA, followed by a reception. Memorial contributions may be made to Historic Deerfield (www.historic-deerfield.org), PO Box 321, 84B Old Main St., Deerfield, MA 01342.Visit www.perrykomdat.com for directions and a private guestbook.